Former CFL defensive lineman Craig Roh has passed away at the age of 33. His wife, Chelsea, made the announcement on his Instagram page.
I wanted to let all of his followers know that after an 18-month battle with Stage IV Colon Cancer, God brought Craig home on Monday, February 26th. Craig was not very public with his battle, as he truly just wanted to focus on bringing the best content and building the best products he could.
In classic Craig fashion, he was working on posts and future plans for D-line University until the very end. He LOVED coaching and it carried him through his hardest days. As we mourn and figure out what life looks like next, we will be back with future plans that Craig laid out.
The native of Scottsdale, Ariz. signed with the B.C. Lions in 2015 and played three seasons with the team, recording 64 defensive tackles, 20 sacks, three pass knockdowns, and one forced fumble.
Roh joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2018 and made 46 defensive tackles, 14 sacks, three forced fumbles, two pass knockdowns, and one fumble recovery over two seasons with the club, winning a Grey Cup in 2019.
The six-foot-five, 266-pound defender signed with the Toronto Argonauts in 2020, though he never saw the field with the team due to the cancellation of the CFL season.
Roh went undrafted out of the University of Michigan in 2013 and spent two years with the Carolina Panthers, though he didn’t see any regular season action. He was named second-team All-Big Ten Conference in 2012 while playing for the Wolverines.
Since his retirement, Roh shifted his focus to coaching through D-Line University, an online course that used video content to teach aspiring defensive linemen. He amassed a significant following on social media for his coaching work, garnering almost 125,000 followers on Instagram and close to 60,000 followers on X.
A GoFundMe has been created to help cover medical expenses and future schooling for Craig and Chelsea’s child. The fundraiser can be viewed here.
A service celebrating Roh’s life will be held in Phoenix, Ariz. on March 16, 2024.